This topic provides information on the platform requirements (operating systems, compiler, etc.) for building plug-ins for different versions of 3ds Max from 3ds Max 4.0 to 3ds Max 2012.
The following table shows the target operating system, compatible 3ds Max SDK, and compatible compilers for each version of 3ds Max.
Note: each version of 3ds Max only supports one version of Microsoft Visual C++.
| 3ds Max Version | Target Operating System | Binary compatible 3ds Max SDK versions | Microsoft Visual C++ Compiler Version |
| 2012 |
|
2012 |
Visual C++ 9.0 (Visual Studio 2008) Service Pack 1 with the July 28, 2009 security patch installed. See here for more information. |
| 2011 |
|
2011, 2010 |
Visual C++ 9.0 (Visual Studio 2008) Service Pack 1 with the July 28, 2009 security patch installed. See here for more information. |
| 2010 |
|
2010 |
Visual C++ 9.0 (Visual Studio 2008) Service Pack 1 |
| 2009 |
|
2009 |
Visual C++ 8.0 (Visual Studio 2005) Service Pack 1. |
| 2008 |
|
2008, 9.0 |
Visual C++ 8.0 (Visual Studio 2005) |
| 9.0 |
|
9.0 |
Visual C++ 8.0 (Visual Studio 2005) |
| 8.0 |
|
8.0, 7.0, 6.0 |
Visual C++ 7.0 (Visual Studio .NET 2002) |
| 7.5 |
|
7.0, 6.0 |
Visual C++ 7.0 (Visual Studio .NET 2002) |
| 7.0 SP 1 |
|
7.0, 6.0 |
Visual C++ 7.0 (Visual Studio .NET 2002) |
| 7.0 |
|
7.0, 6.0 |
Visual C++ 7.0 (Visual Studio .NET 2002) |
| 6.0 |
|
6.0 |
Visual C++ 7.0 (Visual Studio .NET 2002) |
| 5.0-5.1 |
|
5.0, 4.0 |
Visual C++ 6.0 (Visual Studio 6.0) |
| 4.0-4.26 |
|
4.0 |
Visual C++ 6.0 (Visual Studio 6.0) |
Microsoft ships several editions of the Visual Studio development environment: Team, Professional, Standard, and Express. Although Visual Studio Standard Edition is the recommended base tool to develop plug-ins for 3ds Max, the Express, Professional, or Team editions may also be used. More details about the various editions of Visual Studio and Visual C++ can be found at http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio.
You need the Microsoft Platform SDK to develop plug-ins for 3ds Max. The Platform SDK is included with Visual Studio.
It is recommended that you use the same version of Windows for development as the operating system used by the targeted version of 3ds Max.
Note: Although a 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows is not required to build a 64-bit compatible plug-in, a 64-bit Microsoft Windows operating system is required to run the compiled plug-in.
Hardware configurations that can run 3ds Max are sufficient to develop plug-ins. See the 3ds Max user documentation for minimum hardware configurations necessary to run 3ds Max.
Visual C++ 9.0 with Service Pack 1 with the security patch from July 28, 2009 installed (available from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971092) is the recommended compiler and linker for C++ plug-ins built for 3ds Max 2012 as it was for 3ds Max 2011. Plug-in developers can use either Visual Studio 2008 or 2010 as a development environment with the Visual C++ 9.0 compiler
3ds Max 2012 targets .NET 4.0, but mixed (C++\CLI) plug-ins need to target a .NET framework version compatible with the Visual C++ 9.0 SP1 toolset.
The 3ds Max SDK depends on the Direct X SDK. The recommended Direct X SDK version is that of June 2010.
